PSAT Critical Reading : One-Blank Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #194 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

After being away from his house for three years, the soldier was exceedingly pleased to take up residence again in his __________.

Possible Answers:

diet

regimen

domicile 

routine

nourishment

Correct answer:

domicile 

Explanation:

Since the soldier was looking to return to his house, it can be said most properly that he was looking to have returned to his “domicile,” a word taken from the Latin root for “home” and found in other words such as “domestic” and “domesticate.”  All of the other options indicate other reasons that might or might not be the case.  The only clue that we have in our sentence is that he was “away from his house.”  There is nothing related to an alteration in his routine or his diet.

Example Question #195 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Although Nathanael believed that he hid his emotions and thoughts very well, anyone looking at his __________ could discern on his face the outward signs of his internal disposition.

Possible Answers:

appearance

countenance

gesticulations

figure

figure

countenance

appearance

frame

frame

gesticulations

Correct answer:

countenance

Explanation:

Since the sentence clearly indicates that Nathanael’s face gave away his inward disposition, the best option is “countenance,” which refers to a person’s face or the expressions found thereupon.  The other options are too vague, given the direct clue in the main clause of the sentence.   

Example Question #196 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

King Wulfric tired of having many translators in his court retinue. Wishing to simplify the state of affairs, he began a kingdom-wide search for a single __________ who might replace the excessive staff.

Possible Answers:

intellectual

converter

pantoglot

attendent

academic

Correct answer:

pantoglot

Explanation:

King Wulfric is looking for one person who knows all of the languages that he needs.  A “pantoglot” is a person said to know “all languages.”  The expression might be a bit of an overstatement, but its literal parts do mean “all-tongues.”  The prefix “panto-” comes from the Greek for “all or complete” and is found in words like “pantheistic”—all of nature is God—and panacea—something that cures everything.  The “-glot” portion comes from the Greek for “tongue,” which is related to words like “glossary,” “glottal,” and “polyglot.”  The last word means “one knowing many languages” and clearly is related to “pantoglot.”

Example Question #378 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

It seems that every __________ is exceedingly zealous, always seeing the whole world through the lens of his or her newfound ideology.

Possible Answers:

atheist

sectarian

fanatic

absolutist

proselyte

Correct answer:

proselyte

Explanation:

Although we tend to think of “proselytes” as persons who preach their belief (which they often do), the term most particularly indicates a recent convert.  Since the sentence states that this person has a “newfound” ideology, this is the best option to choose. 

Example Question #197 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Although his given name was “Attila,” the man was affectionately known by his friends by the informal __________ “lefty” since he was the only member of their group that was left-handed.

Possible Answers:

appellation

label

sobriquet

epithet

moniker

Correct answer:

sobriquet

Explanation:

Although a number of these options are likely tempting, note both the mention of “affectionately” and “informal,” indicating that the necessary word should reflect these facts.  A “sobriquet” is a nickname (sometimes descriptive—as is “lefty”), so this word best meets the needs of the sentence.

Example Question #291 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Fleeing from persecution in their homeland, the family sought __________ in France so that they might live a life free from the political ills of their native land.

Possible Answers:

peace

housing

asylum

settlement

domicile

Correct answer:

asylum

Explanation:

Fundamentally, “asylum” means “refuge,” a meaning derived from a similar Greek root.  Normally, people think of “asylum” in the sense of a “mental asylum,” but even that term implies such “refuge,” though in that case it is a refuge for persons suffering form mental illness.  Often, the term is used to imply that someone is seeking refuge from political persecution.  Since the sentence speaks of the political ills and persecution in the family’s native land, “asylum” is the best choice.

Example Question #292 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

After many years of __________, the two friends decided that it was best to move into separate apartments.

Possible Answers:

bickering

quarreling

amity

friendliness

cohabitation

Correct answer:

cohabitation

Explanation:

Here, you must be careful not to imply anything in the sentence.  Nothing is said about the state of the two person’s friendship.  Therefore either “amity” / “friendliness” or “quarreling” / “bickering” would imply that something has changed with regard to the relationship between the two persons.  However, since we have the word “cohabitation,” it would be best to choose this option, as it merely implies that the two friends had been living together.  The word comes with from the root “co-” meaning together (as found in “cooperate” and “correlate”)  combined with “-habitate,” which is derived from Latin roots meaning “to live / inhabit.”  The later has many related English derivatives such as “habitat,” “habitual,” and “inhabitant.”

Example Question #293 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The legislators convened as a __________ in order to address the recent poisoning of the emergency foodstuffs.

Possible Answers:

throng

congregation

diet

victual

group

Correct answer:

diet

Explanation:

This sentence might be difficult because of the temptation to ignore the word “diet.”  In actuality, this word is the most specific and matching for our purposes.  The word is used to name the legislative assemblies of some countries and hence is a better option than “group” or “congregation,” which do not match as well.   For example, in the city of Worms in 1521, an assembly gathered to address the questions related to Martin Luther.   This formal gathering is famously called the “Diet of Worms.”  As you can see, it has nothing to do with strange eating habits.  It merely means that an assembly within the Holy Roman Empire happened to convene at a city named “Worms.”

Example Question #294 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

After many years, the assertion that obsessive hand washing was a mental illness had become an unquestioned __________ within the community of psychological practitioners.

Possible Answers:

prescription

orthodoxy

diadnosis

conclusion

remark

Correct answer:

orthodoxy

Explanation:

Although we often think of “orthodoxy” as being associated with religious beliefs, it is also applicable to any theory or doctrine, meaning that it is authoritative and generally held.  This word is the best option, given the adjective “unquestioned,” which does imply that the needed word have sense of implying a certain authority.  The word comes from the combination of “ortho,” meaning “straight” or “correct” and “doxos” meaning “opinion” (or “praise.”)  An “orthodontist” works to make teeth (“-dontist”) be straight (“ortho-”).  A “paradox” is something that seems to be different from the accepted opinion (“doxos”).

Example Question #295 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Many businesses choose to have their server computers in __________ centers, which enable them to save money by having their machines located in a single building with those of other companies and managed together by a smaller staff.

Possible Answers:

technological

hosting

off-site

support

collocation

Correct answer:

collocation

Explanation:

The key thing to note here is that these businesses are choosing to have their computers placed in a place that hosts them together with the computers for other businesses.  These computers share the same location (or are located “next to” each other in such a center).  “Collocation” indicates such “locating together,” as can be seen by the parts of the word.  “Col-” comes from the prefix “Co-” or “Con-”, meaning “together with” and is found in words like “colloquy” and “cohabitate.”  The second half, “location,” is obvious in its meaning.

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